Kyle Russell, 2008 Agenda

...transitioning from Interim Executive Director to outright Executive Director

I look forward to being elected by the new Board, and sworn in as Executive Director as of our First Annual Meeting, March 15th, 
2008. 

My words here will not only reflect my own hopes and dreams for the position - and the organization - but those of the other 
Board members, all of whose ’08 Agendas (and previous Annual Reports), should be viewable individually on the RAW web site.

The ByLaws state: "The Executive Director’s vision and actions shall direct the organization in both tone and detail, outlining 
and pursuing (with the Board and Membership’s involvement) RAW goals & directions."

My overarching ambition is to change the perception that the Board of RAW is a closed system, not open to suggestions & and 
participation from the Membership. Beginning in preparation for the Annual Meeting, and as we shall continue to do throughout 
the next year, I want there to be a go-to person (currently, Secretary Daniel Frankston), and a simple protocol by which any 
member can submit their suggestions, along with concrete recommendations for how they might be implemented. I think we’ve been 
waylaid by improptu brainstorming in the Forum that leads to finger pointing and discord - we can do better. Of course, any 
member should always feel welcome to contact me directly.

Next, we must make the new and old blood of our Board FLOW. We need to combat another the notion that simply being on the Board 
is enough, or that it’s a reactive position not requiring proactive involvement. I have, and will continue to make my way over 
to each Board member and to both support and encourage them to step beyond what they thought themselves capable of, so that we 
may deliver to our membership the exemplary performance they deserve.

I only expect to be Executive Director for a year, so it is essential that I leave the Board and the Membership stronger, and 
more energized than I find them now. A major goal for myself is to find a replacement capable of holding the position from 2009 
on. 

As we look outside - to potential new members; old members (Tom Pearson has echoed my own long-standing wish to bring them "back 
into the fold"); haters; and those unfamiliar with the organization - all of these people must be shown that RAW is a relevant 
player in the Industry.

I think the mere fact that RAW is a non-profit collective NOT forwarding the specific ends of any one Agent, Label, Artist, or 
Promoter NECESSARILY sets it apart - in a good way - from the rest of the Reggae scene, which - while striving to achieve the 
vision of One Love - is often characterized by its members’ exclusive, or narrow self-interest.

That being said, and I think deserving to be built on as a defense and foundation for RAW going forward, I see it as my 
responsibility to again reach out - to and through the Board and our Membership, indeed to the general public (not just Reggae 
lovers) - in search of SPECIFIC actions RAW can take to provide meaningful value within and beyond our community.

To that end, I’ve introduced RAW to the social networking site MySpace. A lot more can be done with internet outreach, and I’d 
like to see that explored more fully this year. Facebook, and I hear of an exclusively Reggae oriented social network growing, 
these are all avenues worthy of exploration.

David Bauman’s mentioned the reissue of The Ambassador (we use to put out many years ago). The RAW circular in hard or 
electronic format - which would have relevance to members and non-members alike - is something I might be able to lend my own 
Newsletter development skills and extensive email list to promote. 

As it is, our own weekly WGIR has become dominated by local performance announcements and newsflashes of limited general 
interest. I would like to see a protocol, and perhaps even a fee associated with posting via WGIR, so that it, and the potential 
Ambassador - do not merely become flooded with minutia - and to the contrary, bear the potential of becoming viable marketing 
tools for those OUTSIDE RAW, trying to reach our audience.

Bauman has also suggested cultivating Committed Fan street teams that can support & welcome traveling RAW bands and help both 
collect & share regional promotional contacts to make their touring more successful. New Performing Artist coordinator Frankie 
Moniz will be reaching out to performers in and out of RAW to educate and learn from them how benefit more from RAW.

Tom Pearson still wants to create Regional Chapters as a long term goal, but in the interim, wants to fully recover from his 
computer/database crash with an ever more functional membership tracking system; volunteers helping him complete & deliver the 
periodic New Members & Changes listing more frequently (as well as Demographic Reports, etc.), so that we may better serve 
existing members, and attract new ones. PR Coordinator Frances Nwajei will be conducting general outreach to increase RAW’s 
profile in the community at large.

Our other new and existing Board members have expressed a desire to both fulfill their job descriptions -while learning more 
about their positions - and RAW itself (as some are new to the organization).

One of the most exciting initiatives we have on the table comes from Ras Danny Fallon, who wants to take our DJ’s & Labels to 
another level by creating a dedicated database for the two; a Forum for discussion; a web page to post new RAW releases; and a 
central data transfer system for uploading, archiving, and accessing RAW artist’s music.

A cause I feel particularly close to is having RAW take a moral stance in the fray of world & music politics. Recent lyrical 
movements in the dance hall have cast a new shadow on Reggae, with the "fire burn" mentality. Few are willing to stand up for 
its victims, be they deserving or not, and present another image (or disputing arguments) of what Reggae stands for. We need to 
better define - for ourselves and others - what it means to be "forwarding the Reggae vibe every time."

There must be partnerships that we can pursue with other non-profits or organizations doing good in the community. This could 
involve shared funding or simply co-sponsorships. Logo placement, or publicity for our URL could go a long way toward 
demonstrating how RAW can work in the world to improve the image of Reggae and the conditions of folks near and far. 

Tall orders, one and all, but Jah willing, with perseverance and the increasingly collective and constructive involvement of our 
leadership and membership, we can achieve these and as yet unimagined goals. This year, RAW enters its 15th year. Let us rival 
what’s been done in the past 5 years with what we can achieve in just this 1 coming year!


Blessed Love, Kyle Russell